Single selector relay for pneumatic-tube systems



Dec. 16, 1930. w. v. MOGUINNESS 4 SINGLE SELECTOR RELAY FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 17, 1929 3 Sheets$heetl T I l I ll QTTOR NEV- Dec. 16, 1930. w. v. MCGUINNESS SINGLE SELECTOR RELAY FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 1'7, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MAIN OFFICE \uvzu'ron WK McQu Inn e53 RELRY OFFICE Fig.7

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DKSTRNT DFFICE Dec. 16, 1930. w. v. M GUINNESS 1,784,967

SINGLE SELECTDR RELAY FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEMS O Q 4 m a a 4 W 6m 4/ f 6 iIII w W H I. m 1. l W} 4W 6 5 a y Y M J 6 v 6 8 4 W. w j w W G J/ F 8 a 4 U z 3 the main ofiice.

Patented Dec 16, 193% 7 entree STATES PATENT wrttmivr v. racennvnnss, or FL'USHING,

NEW worm, ASSIGNDB To THE wnsrnniv "UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEW .YORK, IN'QY A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK I 1 SINGLE SELECTOR ante-Y non rNEUMA'r G-TUBE sYs'rEMs 7 Application filed September 17, 1929. Serial No. 393,244,

This invention relates topneumatic 'tube conveyors of the type wherein tubular receptacles are caused to travel from one point or station to another through tubes extending between said stations.

More especially the invention relates to what is preferably termed a single selector relay for such systems.

Pneumatic tubes for this purpose are usually arranged in loops. That is there aretwo tubes connecting the two points as, for-in stance, a main oflice and a distant oflice and one tube is used for transmission of carriers from the main to the distant oflice and the other tube is used for the transmission of carriers from the distant to the main ofiice. It frequently happens that,'in such a system, there is an intermediate oflice or offices to whichit is desired to deliver .carriers from Heretofore it has been customary, in such a case, to deliver all carriers to this intermediate oflice, select those intended for the remote office and replace P them by hand in the sending side of the loop.

The present invention has for its principal object the provisionof a simple and efficient mechanically operated relay interposed'in the sending side of such a loopand which will automatically separate the -carriers to be delivered at the intermediate ffice from those intended for the distant office, keeping the latter in thesending side ofthe loop, provision being made on the carriers to enable thisselection tobe effected.

With the above and other objects in View the invention will now be described in detail and then specifically claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved relay.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view thereof showing a portion of the oscillator dish.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section on the line ll of Fig. 3 and showing the type of carrier used for through transmission to the distant oflice.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4: but

showing 'the'type of carrier usedfor delivery "at the intermediate station.

'tion of the mechanism usedto actuatethe stop or finger which preventsa second ca-rrierftrom interfering with the operation ofthe relayat the time the latteris handling a carrier.

' Figure 7 is afdiagrammatic view disclosing the system'employing-the prese'ntinvention. V y In the embodiment of the invention as here shown there i'sprovided a casing 10 of cylindrical form and inthis casing is fitted a drum '11 which is "mounted in the casing for tree oscillation. On top of this casing is fitted a head 12, secured in place by suitable screws and in .this head is an arcuate slot 13 concentric to the casing. Projecting upwardly through this slot from the drum 11 is a pivot pin 14, which passes through a slot'15 formed in one end of a link 16 having itsother end mounted on a crank pin17, carriedbya disk i 18. This disk" is driven through suitable speed reducing means so that rotation'of the disk effects oscillation-of the drum 11.-' Also the head 12 is providedwith a tubulariboss Figure 6 is adetailview showing a por- 19, wherein is 'fitted'the lower end of the tubular body of an automatic carrier spacing -niechanism"pres ently to be described. Into the upperend of the body 20 is fitted the end of'a-V pneumatic tube 20 le'ading from the main oflice or sending station.

'On the lower end of the casing 10 is se cured a bottom21 wherein isa large'arcuate slot 22 and spaced from this slot circum- "ferentially is a circular opening 23. In the drum 11 is a cylindrical pocket 24: which, as

the drum'oscillates, moves'from position of through the slots 29 and 30 and extends parallel to the first rail. These rails incline upwardly from the ends adjacent the boss19 to their further extremities for purposes presently to be explained.

The carriers used herewith are of two forms alike in most details but difiering in one feature. In each carrier as here shown, there is provided a tubularbody 33 having a rclosed end provided with. a felt disk 34, acting as a piston and fitting quite closelyin the pneu- .matic tubing. Preferably the mouth end of the carrier is reinforced as atx35, but such reinforcement is V of suficiently small diameterto pass between-the guide rails, as can be seen by reference to Figs 4 and 5. All of the carriers arealike to thispointihthe construction but those carriers which are'intended for delivery atthe intermediate or relay station are provided with a selector collar 36, at the upper end, this collar'being of such diameter as to be incapable of passingthrough the space between the guide rails as can be seen in Figure 5. v V

In the operation of the device. as thus far described, carriers are fed into the tube20' at the main ofice, the carriers of course containing messages or the like intended for delivery at the intermediate or distant ofiices. The carriers are selected so that those to be delivered at the intermediate office will be the oneshaving the selector collar at; their upper or mouthends. As a carrier 'arriVesat the relay it will drop into the pocket 24, when the drum oscillates to bring such pocket into registry withthe boss 19. As the drum continues to oscillate it will move the pocket 24 first-into registry with the slot22 and, unless the vcarrier is provided with a selector collar, the carrier will drop out-of this pocket .through the slot into the funnel 26 andthus into the tube 27 for-delivery to the distant ofiice. If, however, the carrier is provided with a selector collar, the guide rails will, as the drum oscillates, engagebeneath the collar and prevent the carrier from dropping through the slot. These guide .rails are inclined as before described so that they may pass beneath the collar irrespective of any slight, differences which may exist in the thicknesses of 'the felt' pistons 34. .Also this upward inclination of the guide rails serves to ensure that the carriers will be lifted, during their travel over the slot, and will not drag over the bottom plate of the relay. The guide rails terminate in circumferentially spaced relation to the opening 23 so that the collar-provided carrier :drops freeupon reaching the ends of these rails and, upon the pocket 24 registering with said opening the carrier drops into the basket or tray 25. It will be noted that the slot aifords a dwell of the drum at each end of its oscillation so as to provide time for entry and delivery of the carriers.

In order to feed the carriers into the drum pocket 24 one at a time and to prevent interference in'the motion of: said drum bya carrierbeing fed partially into the pocket, if the same be occupied, the automatic spacing mechanism above referred to isused. On the tubular body is mounted a bracket 37 carrying a shaft 38, whereon is loosely pivoted an arm 39, having a finger 40 projecting into the body 20 through a suitable slot. Fixed on the shaft38 is a rock arm 41 havingyielding connection with the arm 39 through the spring 42. 'Also, this shaft 38 carries a rock arm 43, to which is connected theouter end ofa plunger'44, sliding in a guide 45, mounted on the head 12. The inner end of this plunger is bifurcated to hold a roller 46 and on this inner end is a collar 47, between which andithe guide is mounted a spring 48, mg ing tlie roller inwardto engage a cam member 49, fixed upon the shaft 50 of the drum 12. This cam is so arranged that its projection engages the roller 46 at the time when the pocket 24 is about central over the slot 22, so that at all other times the finger 40 will engage the upper ofthe two carriers in position for delivery to the pocket 24, at the time said pocket is alined to receive the lower of the two carriers. Thus the upper carrier will be held back and cannot interfere with the operation of the drum.

A bypass tube 51 extends around the re lay between the tubes 20 and 27 so asto'enable pressure to be maintained in both said tubes.

Inasmuch as no deliveries are ordinarily made at the intermediate office from the distant or remote office there is usually no need of the relay just described in the return tube 52 but its place may be taken by any suitable form of manually operated sending unit as indicated at 53, which does not interfere with the carrier in transit from the distant office to the main'oilice.

It will be evident to engineers and to those familiar with pneumatic tube systems that various changes in the construction of the apparatus and also in the use of the relays may be made within the purview of my invention and without departing from it. Thus the parts may be so arranged that the carriers intended for the home stat-ion may drop through the slot 22 into a basket or tray while those intended for the distant oiiice may be moved over this position and then diate station, and the last relay delivering into the tube leading to the distant station. For each additional relay station it will be necessary to add an extra selector collar of larger diameter and raise the guide members 31 and 32 accordingly in each successive relay. It will also be necessary'to discharge the home station carrier through slot 22' in this case, the carriers which are destined for the succeeding station or stations being discharged through the second opening 28.

WVhat is claimed, is 1 1. A single selector relay for pneumatic tube systems including a casing, ,a drum in said casing mounted for oscillatory movement therein, said drum being provided with a carrier receiving pocket, an inlet tube leading to said casing and positioned for alinement with the pocket in one position ofthe latter, said casing having a pair of outlets arcuately spaced from said inlet tube and with which said pocket is alined successive-r ly, a carrier having a selector collar at one end, means fixed to the casing for engaging said collar upon the pocketbeing alined with the firstof said outlets, said means terminating short of the second outlet, and means to effect oscillation of the drum in the casing.

2. A'single selector relay for pneumatic tube systems including a casing, a drum in said ca ing mounted for oscillatory move ment therein, said drum being provided with a carrier receiving pocket, an inlet tube lead ing to said casing and positioned for alinement with the pocket in one position of the latter, said, casing having a pair of. outlets arcuately spaced from said lnlet tube and with which said pocket 1s alined success vely, a carrier having a selector collar at one end, means fixed to the casing for engaging said collar upon the pocketbeing alined with the first of said outlets, said means terminating short of the secondroutlet, and means to effect oscillation of the drum in the cas ing and arranged to cause temporary pauses in the movement of the drum upon the pocket being alined respectively with the inlet tube and with the second outlet.

3. A single selector relay for pneumatic tube systems including a casing, adrum in said casing mounted for oscillatory move-,

ment therein, said drum being provided with a carrier recelvlng pocket, an inlet tube leading to sald casing and posltioned for allnement "with the pocket in one. position of the latter, said casing having a pair t of outlets arcuate'ly spaced. trom' said inlet tube and with which saidpocket is alined successively, a carrier having aselector collar at one end, means fixed to the casing for engaging sald collar upon the pocket being alined with the c 7 first of said outlets, said means terminating shortoi' the second outlet, andmeans to effectoscillationof the drum in the casing and arranged toj cause temporary pauses 1n the 'movementof the .drum'upon the pocket being alined respectively with i the inlet 'tube and with the second outlet, said first outlet being elongated arcuately to permit dropping of a carrier therethrough during movement of. tl'iedrum.

4: A single selector" relay for pneumatic tube'systems includlng a casing, a drum 1n said casing mounted for" oscillatory move ment therein said drum being provided with .a carrier receiving pocket,an inlet tube leading to said casing and positioned for alinement with the pocket in one position of the latter, said casing havinga pair of outlets arcuately spaced from said inlet tubev and with which said pocketis alinedsuccessively,"

a carrier having a selector collar at one end, a second carrier not provided with a selector collar, guide rails fixed to the casing above and on opposite sides of the first outlet, and engaging beneath the selector. collar of said first carrier when the pocket is alined with said first outlet, said guide rails'being spaced to permit free passage of the second carrier through said outlet, said guide rails terminating short of the second outlet,and means to effect oscillation of the drum.

5. In a single selector'relay as set forth in claim 4, said first outlet being elongated arcuately to permit dropping of said second carrier therethrough during movement oi" the drum. 1

6. A single selector relay for pneumatic tube systems, comprising a casing, a member provided with a carrier receiving pocket and mounted for osclllatory movement, an inlet tube leading to said casing and positioned for alinement withthe pocket in one position of saidmember, said casing having a pair of outlets spaced from each other and from said inlet tube in the direction of travel of said member so that said pocket is alined therewith successively, a carrier having aselector' collar thereon, meansfixed to the casing for engaging said collar when the pocket is alined with one of said outlets, and means to efl ectoscillation of said member and arranged to cause temporary pauses in the movement thereof when the pocket is alined respectively with the inlet tube and withthe further outlet therefrom. I

7. In a single selector relay as set forth in claim 4, said guide rails being inclined upwardly from the ends adjacent the inlet tnbe'to the ends adjacent the second outlet.

f 8'. -Asing1e selectorrelay as set forth in claim 4, anda carrler spacing mechanism associated with 'saidinlettube, means-V associated with said drum foroperatively "actuat- I ing said. spacing mechanism/at predetermined positions of said pdrum.

9. A pneumatic tube system including a main ofiice, a distant oflice and a plurality of intermediate stations, eachof said intermediate stations being provided With a single 1 selector relay, as setforth in claim 6, the car- 'riers being provided with graduated selector collars, one for each intermediate station through which the carrier must pass to reach its destination.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' WILLI oGUI Ess. p 

